As a child I passed up several opportunities that would have no doubt been very beneficial to my musical development, to pursue other more “stable” or lucrative goals.  Ironically, music was not my first choice as a major in college. I very seldom considered a day spent practicing and cultivating my musical talents as a productive day.Yet somehow, the deep rooted passion for music that was placed in me long before I ever had a concern for money or stability began to override the rational. Year after year, I found myself abandoning all other pursuits and giving in to my heart’s desire. Usually accompanied by disapproving friends and family members, and a ton of guilt, my inspiration led me forward with reckless abandon. Till one day I realized that I was not the rebel everyone thought I was. I was not simply refusing to be “normal”. Nor was I avoiding the usual mundane pursuits simply because I was bored with life.  I was not fighting against the “cubicle” so to speak; I was reaching for something higher; my destiny, my passion, my life’s calling.

It was then that I slowly began to realize that just about every person on this planet who is considered enormously successful is doing what they love, and did not choose their career based upon their potential salary. Don’t get me wrong, money is great. Trying to live without money is like trying to fly without a plane. But I personally believe that if you work in an area that you love AND have skill, you will always produce an excellent product/service, and excellence brings you into tremendous opportunity. Now I am not recommending that every aspiring musician run off and leave their day jobs and their families to start a band.  PLEASE be more sensible than that.  But the next time someone asks you what it is that you do, before you tell them about your day job, you might want to consider raising your head and proudly proclaiming, “I am a musician!”  Much Love  ~ Donnie